Thursday, June 30th, 2022—And that's a wrap on June and Syracuse Academy of Science high school's Senior Spotlight. But first, before we welcome the month of July, let us introduce our last Senior Spotlight participant, Tahirah Abdul-Qadir, a recent graduate from the Class of 2022.

Interview with Tahirah Abdul-Qadir

• What is one major accomplishment you had in your senior year of high school? This year, I launched an initiative to start libraries in remote villages in Africa. I established book drop-off points across the country and collected over 5,000 books, allowing me to create libraries for schools in Lesotho and Ghana.
• What are your goals after high school? After high school, I plan to attend Syracuse University as a member of their honors program and dual major in Entrepreneurship and Biology.
• Name one person that inspires you? My parents inspire me.
• What advice would you give to the next senior class? Start your college application process and scholarships early. It will save you from a lot of stress. 
• Where do you see yourself in five years? In 5 years, I see myself with a Ph.D., working as a scientific researcher.
• If you could have dinner with any person living or dead, who would they be and why? I would have dinner with Marie Curie to ask what was more challenging, discovering elements of the periodic table or being a woman in STEM during her time.
• Name three traits that describe you? Driven, Ambitious, and dedicated.
• What is your favorite hobby? Martial Arts, specifically kickboxing, is my favorite hobby.
• What is a hidden talent that no one or only a few people know about you? Not many people know that I've played piano for over ten years.
• What is your favorite memory of SAS? My favorite memory of SAS is the field trip to Canada I took with my Turkish Class.

Friday, June 10th, 2022—It's the last month of school, and there is only one thing on the minds of the 1^st and 2^nd-Grade Atoms at Syracuse Academy of Science elementary school .... ice cream!

Okay, there may be more than just one thing on their mind, but to celebrate all their hard work this academic year, the students embarked on a walking field trip to Syracuse's favorite ice cream shops, Gannon's Ice Cream and Arctic Island.

Atoms practiced their manners during their visit when ordering their favorite ice cream flavors. Thank you to Gannon's and Arctic Island for some delicious sweet treats! Please click here to view additional pictures from Syracuse Academy of Science elementary school’s ice cream field trip.

Tuesday, June 28th, 2022—Syracuse Academy of Science high school concludes the month of June by shining the spotlight on two of its recent graduates from the Class of 2022. First, we introduce Anthony Losurdo to the Senior Spotlight series.

Interview with Anthony Losurdo

• What is one major accomplishment you had in your senior year of high school? A major accomplishment was getting the opportunity to volunteer for the Samaritan Center and have that experience. While also seeing my hard work in my academic career pay off, seeing my acceptances and scholarships.
• What are your goals after high school? After High School, I want to get my Masters in Public Policy and work for the government.
• Name one person that inspires you? My mom has inspired me throughout my academic career.
• What advice would you give to the next senior class? I would tell them to focus on their grades and put the work in now, as their hard work will pay off.
• Where do you see yourself in five years? I see myself graduating college and getting my dream job of working in the government to better our communities and the issues we face.
• If you could have dinner with any person living or dead, who would they be and why? I would love to have dinner with former President Barack Obama, as he is one of my inspirations, and I would love to hear more about his experiences and the presidency.
• Name three traits that describe you? Easygoing, compassionate, and open-minded.
• What is your favorite hobby? My favorite hobby is probably playing video games with my friends.
• What is a hidden talent that no one or only a few people know about you? A hidden talent that I believe not many know is being able to speak publicly.
• What is your favorite memory of SAS? Probably the embarrassing moment in elementary when my friends and I performed in the talent show.

Sunday, June 12th, 2022—Before the school year came to a close, the Syracuse Academy of Science high school Congressional Awards students embarked on a few more adventures. Many students visited the Big Apple (specifically, Yonkers and various locations in and around New York City), New Jersey, and the Adirondacks. These trips allowed the students to complete their Congressional Awards Expedition/Exploration requirement - which entails students must spend a minimum of three nights outside of their city.

When visiting New York City, Mr. Yemen's students visited many iconic locations such as Times Square, the Brooklyn Bridge, and China Town. We all know that no trip to New York City is complete without experiencing a ride on the subway - a first for many of the students. This metropolitan adventure was a great personal development opportunity that allowed the students to practice their self-motivation skills. The students who attended this trip will be applying for their gold certificate at the end of the year.

Ms. Jamison's group of Congressional Award students visited Yonkers for a Juneteenth celebration. During their visit, students were immersed in a panel discussion, had an opportunity to attend a concert by the waterfront, and visited a museum.

The final location in this tri-state Congressional Awards visits was Long Beach Island, New Jersey. While the weather didn't cooperate for a portion of the trip, this never slowed down the Atoms. Students visited the ocean (a first for many students), walked on the iconic Boardwalk, and spent quality time with one another in their rental house. Waking up to the sound of the ocean was peaceful, serene, and the perfect way to relax and recharge before the Regents Exams.

Finally, Ms. Hamill's 9^th-grade Congressional Award students visited the Adirondacks for a week! This rural trip allowed the Atoms to become one with nature as there was little to no cell phone service. During their visit to the Adirondacks, Atoms explored the Old Forge Public Beach, where they observed the beautiful scenery, learned navigation skills, and how to build a fire. No campfire is ever complete without s'mores.

These Congressional Awards expedition/exploration trips are an incredible experience for the students to get out of their 'comfort zone' and explore the world around them, try and learn new things and experiences. Keep up the great work, Atoms!

Please click here to view additional pictures from the Syracuse Academy of Science high school’s Congressional Awards Expedition/Exploration trips.